A friend of mine is looking for a cheaper 4x4 and is looking at the Sportsman 400. The only experience I've had with Polaris four strokes is a 97 Scrambler 500 I owned which I eventually traded for a 99 Scrambler 400. I thought the 97 500 seemed like a dog compared to my 99 400 Scram so I'm thinking that the Sportsman 400 is slugish considering it weighs about 700 pounds and has a smaller motor than my 97 Scrambler 500. We ride a lot of railroad beds and smooth fields so top end speed is kind of an issue, maybe I should just convince him to go for the Sportsman 500?

Mitch

02 Raptor (For Sale, V-Force 700 arriving soon)

 

The sportman 500 HO would definately be faster than a sportsman 400. The 97 scram 500's were slow because they had the non HO motor, which was put in the scram in 98. I am sure that the sportsman 400 would still be a good machine.

 

The 400 sportsman isn't much on speed. Thinking about 50-52 or so, 500 will get you up around 60. We have some rail grades here the 400 pol does go much better than the 400 cat though. If you do not plan on much mud or such might go for one of the sport models. I have a 500 and like it.

 

DO IT!

Drove both the 2002 500HO & 400. both had identically plush rides, BUT, up & down hills the 500 had way more power & speed. Also, because of the extra power, you could stay in high gear a little longer on the 500HO. The 400 really lets you know when you should be gearing down to "L". Don't get me wrong, the 400 is a nice machine, but there really is no comparison. The 500HO is THAT MUCH BETTER.

Good luck!

 

If he's looking to buy something new, tell him to check out the Bombardier Outlander 400. It's getting rave reviews from the rags and will run dead even with the SP500! I was just about set to buy an SP600 (if I decide to sell my street bike), but after reading a post on our forum by a guy who test rode both and bought the Outlander, I started to look into it. It seems that Bomby has surpassed all other brands in the 400 class with a quad that's as fast as the SP500 and has BETTER IRS than the SPs!

 

Will the Sportsman 400 keep up with the pack? It all depends on what is in the pack. It will keep up with Ranchers, most A/C machines, and the like. Will keep up with the Foremans on most conditions (they have about equal top speeds, the Foreman accelerates faster, but the Sportsman handles rough terrain better). However, if your pack includes 'big dogs', meaning the 500cc+ class, all I can say is, no, it can't. Except through mudholes, or creek crossings, not a chance, maybe not even then.

It is a well built, machine that will go almost anywhere any other quad will go (with equal tires) but it just isn't fast. Basically a lot of weight for the engine size. Not that that is all bad, it will push more snow than any other 400cc quad I know of. Weight means stability when pulling a trailer. However, for speed, weight can only be overcome by horsepower.

Farmr

 

The Sportsman 400 is pretty slow compared to the Sportsman 500. I have a Sportsman 500 and i have gotten it up past the 60 mark, it is really quick and has good acceleration. If you can't convince him to get a 500 tell him to get an eiger, or vinson, or outlander. Im trading in my 500 for an eiger or outlander which are both quicker than the Sportsman 400.

 

i have 2 sportsman 400s they are pretty good my top speed is 62 but it takes awhile to get up there and i didnt have enough room to go any faster i am guessing they top out at around 65-67 i have never got to ride the 500, 600, or 700 but i want to get a 600 and i would not reccomend the 400 because it weighs too much for its power i would also reccomend the warn multi-mount to anyone buying a sportsman before i got my winch we spent 4 hours one time getting it out of the mud with a scrambler 500 4x4 i also reccomend the warrenty if you jump it or tow alot i went through 2 clutchs and 4 belts beetween the 2 of them i think i might have been able prevent some of it but the warrenty covered it all so i dont care in low they can pull anything if u can get the traction wich can be hard pulling 800 pounds of logs and rocks on a trailer made for the road up a steep hill lol but go with a 500 or a 600 i would probaly never get another 400 just b/c of the horrible power to weight ratio

 

oh yeah stock tire dont have that good on traction but they can take a beating i had them up to 12psi and as low as 2psi but they are still intact and i have ran over small stumps that look like they should rip the tires apart when i feel them hit the wheel the shocks can take a beating too i think mine should have been desroyed when i drove off a hill at 45mph dropped 15ft down didnt hit the hill but the bottom of the quad scraped the grass of the ground before launching me 5ft off my quad and my quad 2 ft off the ground lol but the shocks still ride fine unlike my brother stock scrambler shocks wich saged half the travel of the shock after normal riding

 

I had a 250 trailblazer and that thing was not quite the speed demon. It did beat the sportsman 400 in a drag, and Mudmania gan vouch for that. I'd say top speed is prolly about 55 stock. It can take quite an A$$ kicking tho. Unfortunatelty i witnessed my trailer being dragged over 10 inch diameter logs and straining the Sportsman to death. Stock tire traction sucks uphill but thats only with an overweight trailer. If ur going to ride on trails with a pack it will be fine. Its all about the rider. If u can steer the Cadillac through the woods then u can keep up.